Rep. Torres introduces bill in U.S. House to create national food rescue system

The new bill, authored by U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, seeks to establish a coordinated national system to recover and distribute surplus food to communities in need, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.7144 was introduced on Jan. 16, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to create a national food rescue system that coordinates the recovery, processing, transportation, and distribution of surplus food to emergency feeding organizations and food-insecure communities. The Secretary of Agriculture is tasked with establishing and operating this system through partnerships with food rescue organizations. The bill outlines specific activities for these organizations, including identifying surplus food sources, developing partnerships, enhancing logistics, and providing technical assistance. It also establishes a competitive grant program for food rescue organizations to fund operations, transportation, storage, and technology needed for effective food redistribution. The bill underscores the importance of coordinating with existing USDA programs aimed at reducing food loss and waste, with appropriations authorized to support these efforts.

The bill was introduced only by Rep. Ritchie Torres (Democrat-NY-15th District).

Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. Torres has introduced another 33 bills.

Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Ritchie Torres is a Representative from New York, born in Bronx County on March 12, 1988. He served on the New York City Council from 2014 to 2020 and was elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress and the two succeeding Congresses, beginning January 3, 2021. Torres graduated from Herbert H. Lehman High School in 2006 and attended New York University from 2006 to 2007.

Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Congress. The source data can be found here.